Grandia: Parallel Trippers
Encyclopedia
is a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts
for the Game Boy Color
handheld system as part of their Grandia series. The game, published by Hudson Soft
and released exclusively in Japan in December 2000, is a spin-off of the first Grandia
title, and features characters, music, and a similar battle system. to the original. Unlike its predecessor, Parallel Trippers is presented using entirely two-dimensional graphics and character sprites, with combat sequences that take place from first-person perspective that utilize "Synthesis Cards" instead of direct actions. New features include a database of all possible combat actions, as well a monster and character catalog that fills as the player progress through the game.
The game follows Yuuhi, a young boy living in Japan who is transported along with his friends Mizuki and Shirou to an alternate version
of the Grandia world populated by characters from the original video game. Players must guide Yuuhi around numerous environments to re-unite with his friends and discover a way home.
and is presented using an overhead perspective. Players must guide the main character Yuuhi through a number of environments containing non-player characters, enemy monsters, traps, and puzzles that must be overcome in order to advance. Obstacles such as ledges and pits may be overcome by jumping, and other hindrances such as barracades and walls may be crossed using switches found in the area. The accompanying character Pinky, a rotund, flying creature with large ears, can also be used to manipulate objects from a distance. Treasure chests containing beneficial items such as healing herbs and equipment are scattered throughout each area, in addition to hidden items that must be found by searching certain objects. Like the original Grandia
, enemies in Parallel Trippers are visible on the map screen, and are only engaged when a player comes in contact with one.
Combat in Parallel Trippers has been modified from the original game, yet still retains the Initiative Point Gauge ("IP Gauge") for determining the order of actions. Neither characters in the player's party nor enemy monsters move about the combat field, and are instead restricted to fixed positions observed from a first-person perspective. As a party member or enemy's turn approaches, a representative icon on the bottom of the screen moves along the IP Gauge to its end, the speed of which being determined by the particular character's "speed" rating. Once a character's icon has reached the end of the gauge, it becomes their turn to act, with all other activity halting until the player has selected their action. Players may choose to attack an enemy or use a magic-based attack by selecting an appropriate "Synthesis Card" from their inventory. Synthesis Cards may also be used in combination with each other to produce additional effects or unlock special magic attacks. As a player's party defeats enemies, they earn experience point
s that go toward gaining levels, making each character stronger. Throughout battles, players also collect data on enemy monsters, actions, and characters that are stored in the game's database accessible from the title screen.
, who revealed that they, along with Game Arts
, would be bringing the game to the Game Boy Color
as the series' first handheld title. Game Arts president Hirokazu Miyazki explained that the game was created to make a Grandia that users could "play anywhere", and was designed under the philosophy that both new and veteran fans of the series could enjoy the title equally. Hudson Soft was personally chosen by Game Arts as the game's publisher due to their experience with handheld titles and enthusiasm in marketing the game to Japanese audiences. The game was first showcased at the 2000 Nintendo Space World
expo the following August, and again at the 2000 Tokyo Game Show
in September, where the game received its final release date. Following the game's release, Huson Soft launched its "Grandia Nippo" (lit. "Grandia Daily") website that featured fan art, interviews, and special downloads related to Parallel Trippers in order to increase enthusiasm for the game. The music for Parallel Trippers consists of downsampled versions of tracks from the original Grandia
, originally composed by Noriyuki Iwadare
.
magazine granting the game a 24 out of 40 score. In a hands-on preview of the game, IGN
found it to be a very generic role-playing title, remarking that "While Grandia didn't look or play poorly, there was nothing here that differentiated itself from all the rest of the big-headed, overhead, 2D RPGs that were on the Game Boy Color". The website additionally felt that Parallel Trippers was too loosely associated with the original, adding that it was "really only Grandia in characters, since the game doesn't look a thing like the Grandia you've played on the 32-bit consoles."
Game Arts
is a Japanese video game software developer located in Tokyo, Japan. Originally established in 1985 as a computer software company, they have since expanded their enterprise to produce for a number of game console and handheld systems...
for the Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
handheld system as part of their Grandia series. The game, published by Hudson Soft
Hudson Soft
, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
and released exclusively in Japan in December 2000, is a spin-off of the first Grandia
Grandia (video game)
is a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts originally for the Sega Saturn console as the first game in their Grandia series. Initially released in Japan in January 1997, the game was later ported to the PlayStation in June 1999, with an English version of the game appearing on the platform...
title, and features characters, music, and a similar battle system. to the original. Unlike its predecessor, Parallel Trippers is presented using entirely two-dimensional graphics and character sprites, with combat sequences that take place from first-person perspective that utilize "Synthesis Cards" instead of direct actions. New features include a database of all possible combat actions, as well a monster and character catalog that fills as the player progress through the game.
The game follows Yuuhi, a young boy living in Japan who is transported along with his friends Mizuki and Shirou to an alternate version
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
of the Grandia world populated by characters from the original video game. Players must guide Yuuhi around numerous environments to re-unite with his friends and discover a way home.
Gameplay
Grandia: Parallel Trippers is a traditional console role-playing game that is presented using two-dimensional graphics and character spritesSprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
and is presented using an overhead perspective. Players must guide the main character Yuuhi through a number of environments containing non-player characters, enemy monsters, traps, and puzzles that must be overcome in order to advance. Obstacles such as ledges and pits may be overcome by jumping, and other hindrances such as barracades and walls may be crossed using switches found in the area. The accompanying character Pinky, a rotund, flying creature with large ears, can also be used to manipulate objects from a distance. Treasure chests containing beneficial items such as healing herbs and equipment are scattered throughout each area, in addition to hidden items that must be found by searching certain objects. Like the original Grandia
Grandia (video game)
is a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts originally for the Sega Saturn console as the first game in their Grandia series. Initially released in Japan in January 1997, the game was later ported to the PlayStation in June 1999, with an English version of the game appearing on the platform...
, enemies in Parallel Trippers are visible on the map screen, and are only engaged when a player comes in contact with one.
Combat in Parallel Trippers has been modified from the original game, yet still retains the Initiative Point Gauge ("IP Gauge") for determining the order of actions. Neither characters in the player's party nor enemy monsters move about the combat field, and are instead restricted to fixed positions observed from a first-person perspective. As a party member or enemy's turn approaches, a representative icon on the bottom of the screen moves along the IP Gauge to its end, the speed of which being determined by the particular character's "speed" rating. Once a character's icon has reached the end of the gauge, it becomes their turn to act, with all other activity halting until the player has selected their action. Players may choose to attack an enemy or use a magic-based attack by selecting an appropriate "Synthesis Card" from their inventory. Synthesis Cards may also be used in combination with each other to produce additional effects or unlock special magic attacks. As a player's party defeats enemies, they earn experience point
Experience point
An experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
s that go toward gaining levels, making each character stronger. Throughout battles, players also collect data on enemy monsters, actions, and characters that are stored in the game's database accessible from the title screen.
Development
Grandia: Parallel Trippers was announced in July 2000 by its publisher Hudson SoftHudson Soft
, formally known as , is a majority-owned subsidiary of Konami Corporation is a Japanese electronic entertainment publisher headquartered in the Midtown Tower in Tokyo Midtown, Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with an additional office in the Hudson Building in Sapporo. It was founded on May 18, 1973...
, who revealed that they, along with Game Arts
Game Arts
is a Japanese video game software developer located in Tokyo, Japan. Originally established in 1985 as a computer software company, they have since expanded their enterprise to produce for a number of game console and handheld systems...
, would be bringing the game to the Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
as the series' first handheld title. Game Arts president Hirokazu Miyazki explained that the game was created to make a Grandia that users could "play anywhere", and was designed under the philosophy that both new and veteran fans of the series could enjoy the title equally. Hudson Soft was personally chosen by Game Arts as the game's publisher due to their experience with handheld titles and enthusiasm in marketing the game to Japanese audiences. The game was first showcased at the 2000 Nintendo Space World
Nintendo Space World
Nintendo World, formerly called Nintendo Space World, Nintendo 64 Space World, Super Famicom Space World, Famicom Space World, and , is a video game trade show hosted by Nintendo, typically to unveil new consoles or handhelds...
expo the following August, and again at the 2000 Tokyo Game Show
Tokyo Game Show
The , commonly known as TGS, is a video game expo / convention held annually in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. It is presented by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association and the Nikkei Business Publications, Inc...
in September, where the game received its final release date. Following the game's release, Huson Soft launched its "Grandia Nippo" (lit. "Grandia Daily") website that featured fan art, interviews, and special downloads related to Parallel Trippers in order to increase enthusiasm for the game. The music for Parallel Trippers consists of downsampled versions of tracks from the original Grandia
Grandia (video game)
is a role-playing video game developed by Game Arts originally for the Sega Saturn console as the first game in their Grandia series. Initially released in Japan in January 1997, the game was later ported to the PlayStation in June 1999, with an English version of the game appearing on the platform...
, originally composed by Noriyuki Iwadare
Noriyuki Iwadare
is a Japanese video game composer.-Biography:He was born in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. He began to compose video game music after years of being involved with university bands. The first award he won the Best Game Music award, the Mega Drive/Genesis category for Lunar: The Silver...
.
Reception
Japanese response to Grandia: Parallel Trippers was mild, with Weekly FamitsuFamitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
magazine granting the game a 24 out of 40 score. In a hands-on preview of the game, IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
found it to be a very generic role-playing title, remarking that "While Grandia didn't look or play poorly, there was nothing here that differentiated itself from all the rest of the big-headed, overhead, 2D RPGs that were on the Game Boy Color". The website additionally felt that Parallel Trippers was too loosely associated with the original, adding that it was "really only Grandia in characters, since the game doesn't look a thing like the Grandia you've played on the 32-bit consoles."
External links
- Official website at Hudson Soft